Queen of Darkness

Chapter 5 - Châteaux Dubois

We rode all night and well into the morning. It must have been around 10.30am when we finally came to our destination. I have been awake for hours, back in my own seat just admiring the scenery through the window.

Pierré stepped out and assisted me out of the coach. It was a long journey and I was grateful it was over and I could finally stretch my legs.

I was surprised to see such a massive building and immaculate gardens; I’ve never seen anything like it. Master Michael’s plantation house was a large double story Colonial house but it was nothing compared to this place.

A woman appeared at the top of the stairs that lead to the front door. She wore a maid’s attire but what caught me off guard was that she was white. Maybe she was like me a Mulatto, maybe that’s why I was brought here.

As we reached the bottom of the stairs she called out:” Good Morning Master Pierré, welcome back... I trust your business went according to plan.”

I looked at Pierré hesitantly: “Master?... You said you weren’t, that you are a slave”

Pierré just shrugged his shoulders and sprinted up the first 4 or 5 steps, than stopped and looked back at me: “Well, are you coming or do you prefer that I carry you around?”

The maid giggled at Pierre’s comment and all I could do was blush. As we reached the top of the landing Pierré said:” Magdalene, I know we missed breakfast, but we’ve been traveling all night... Please can you arrange for something to eat.....? And have Tessa bring mine to the library.”

Magdalene:” Of cause Master” she studied me for a second than said: Good Morning My Lady, I will show you to your room and arrange for bathers; you will find the wardrobe has been stocked with clothing. Breakfast will be ready by the time you are decent.” Pierré nodded politely and excused himself, disappearing into one of the doors leading from the large voyeur we found ourselves in.

I was not used to being treated like a Lady and I felt very uncomfortable. I leaned closer to Magdalene and whispered my concern:” Uhm Magdalene, I’m not a Lady... I’m a slave.” the last thing I wanted was for her to get in any kind of trouble because she wrongfully assessed me.

Magdalene looked at me with a blank expression on her face for a few seconds than smiled warmly, “Lady Jaydene, please follow me” and made her way up the staircase.

I was shocked that she knew my name, even more shocked that even after I told her I was no Lady she still insisted on treating me like one.

We made our way to the top of the stairway which lead to a long hallway, doors on either side. There must have been about 20 rooms leading off of the hallway, Magdalene explained that the Châteaux had 63 rooms in total and it was a waste of time for her to show me each and every room. Most were vacant bedrooms which were only used for guests; she would however take me on a tour of the common areas once I had breakfast. We stood at the top of the stairs, and she opened the very first door to the left. The room was massive with deep red drapes that took up the entire wall. She drew the drapes back to reveal a pictures view over Manicured gardens mainly boosting roses in every colour imaginable. In the centre of the room stood a massive four post bed made from dark wood. The post had detailed decretive carvings. The same red material was used for the bed trim.

A dark wood wardrobe and dresser stood in one corner. A beautiful lounge chair also with the same red coloured cushions stood in the other corner, in front of the window. And in the area behind the door were items I’ve never seen... Magdalene called it a bathtub which looked like a giant wooden bucket and another item she referred to as riding the pony....Which I quickly learned you straddled the contraption when you wanted to relieve yourself. It had two openings on the seat area. The first being over an empty bucket the other bucket was filled with water, for washing... This was effectively the origin of the bidet.

Two more maids and two men arrived, each carrying two buckets of steaming water each. The water was boiled over a fire and used to clean with, this was foreign to me. I was used to cold baths in a river. They poured the water into the bath and the men collected all the empty buckets and left. The woman stayed behind. Magdalene introduced them as Edna and Helen, they were my bathers. I did not know what bathers were so I just kept quiet and observed. Edna added an oily liquid to the water, I didn’t know what it was but the smell was unworldly, the fragrance of flowers and cinnamon filled the room. The only reason I knew what cinnamon smelt like was because I had snug Into the kitchen a few times while my mother was cleaning it, at the same time food was being prepared for Master Michael.

The two ladies tried to relieve me of the coat I was wearing but I clung to it for dear live. My resistance was futile, they were much stronger than me and persistent too, before I knew it I was naked and plunged into hot water.

But the torture didn’t end there, they pushed my head under the water and I was certain they were trying to drown me. I came up gasping and choking only to be scrubbed with more of the flowery liquid. They scrubbed me from head to toe, until my skin was red and sore. I begged and pleaded for them to stop but they were on a mission. This was a new kind of torture for me but torture none-the-less.

After scrubbing my hair, my face, my ears, my entire body and even my teeth they finally pulled me from the bath. Helen dried my hair and body with a cloth while Edna retrieved clothes from the wardrobe. They brushed my hair which was more torture. My hair was knotted and hasn’t been washed or brushed for a year. They weren’t gentle either. After my torture ended Helen dressed me. It wasn’t a ball gown but it was a beautiful plain white dress and petticoat. Standard attire for ladies in the Era but a mission when you had to ride the pony.

Alex:” Thank God for indoor plumbing” his words snapping me out from my flashback. I smile slightly, I completely lost tract of space and time and when I looked at the clock on the wall it was already 11:48.

Me: “Why didn’t you tell me it was this late?...we already exceeded the agreed 5 hours” I will remunerate you for the extra time. ”

Alex:” Nah, no need, I actually enjoy just relaxing and listening, but I do have some questions” Alex reaches for his recorder and frowns at the blinking light, indicating that the batteries are flat.

Me:” I’m happy to answer your questions but it’s quite late, aren’t you hungry or tired.... You’re welcome to stay in the guest room if it’s too late for you to drive and seeing you had a few drinks... You shouldn’t drive when drinking, you know?”

Alex gives me a smirk:” I appreciate you’re hospitality and concern but I don’t think me staying the night on our second meeting is such a good idea....I’ll just catch a cab”